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Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology

Clinical laboratory scientists/medical technologists perform the laboratory testing of blood, tissues, and fluids of patients. The results of these tests are vital for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of many diseases. Testing includes clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, microbiology, and urinalysis procedures. Clinical laboratory scientists/medical technologists usually work under the supervision of a physician in a hospital or clinic laboratory, but there are also opportunities in veterinary services, research institutions, and industry.

CLS/MT professional training requires 12 months in a hospital-based clinical program that follows at least three years of college study with an emphasis on chemistry and the biological sciences. Iowa State students generally receive their clinical training at one of the following affiliated medical technology schools in Iowa: The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines, or St. Luke's Methodist Hospital in Cedar Rapids.

The following courses are required:

• General chemistry (CHEM 163, 163L; 164, 164L or CHEM 177, 177L; 178, 178L)
• Quantitative Analysis (CHEM 211 and 211L)
• Organic chemistry and biochemistry (CHEM 231, 231L and BBMB 301)
• Biology (BIOL 211, 211; 212, 212L)
• Microbiology (MICRO 302, 201L)
• Immunology (MICRO 310- Medical Microbiology, meets Immunology req. for most schools)
• Physiology (BIOL 255, 255L and 256, 256L)
• Mathematics (104 or 140 for Mercy Hospital and St. Luke's Methodist Hospital programs)
• Statistics (STAT 101 or 104)

Professional schools may change their prerequisites. Students are responsible for maintaining direct contact with specific professional schools for current prerequisite guidelines.

To prepare for CLS/MT certification, Iowa State students have several options:

1. They may earn a bachelor's degree while taking the courses required for admission to a school of clinical laboratory science. The courses are most efficiently taken as part of the requirements for a degree in zoology, biology, biochemistry, or microbiology, but students may major in any department of the university. A student with a bachelor's degree may apply to any school of clinical laboratory sciences for the clinical training. Earning one of these degrees usually requires four years, after which students may spend 12 months in any accredited clinical program in the country.
2. They may earn a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree using natural sciences& mathematics as one of the emphasis areas and then transferring the professional coursework from the clinical year to ISU to be used as the second area. Students must also select a third emphasis area.
3. Students planning to attend Mercy School of Clinical Laboratory Sciences can participate in a 3+1 program through the Biology Program. Students selecting this option complete the biology core courses, take the required courses for the CLS program and then use 32 credits from the professional program to complete the BS in Biology from ISU. Completion of the pre-requisite courses does not guarantee admission to any of the hospital programs.

Further information is available from the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) Web site at www.ascls.org.